Wild Horse and Burro Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program Standards for Off-Range Pastures (ORPs) and Public Off-Range Pastures (PORPs)

2. Training of persons for care and handling standards and the CAWP assessment process for wild horses and burros at off-range pastures: All personnel, including BLM staff, contractors and partners associated with off-range pastures are required to complete training annually.

The purpose of this IM is to continue to ensure that the humane care and treatment of WHBs remains the priority for the BLM, its contractors, and its partners. The BLM will continue to use the best available science, husbandry, and handling practices applicable for WHBs. Whenever possible, the BLM will make improvements to its practices while also meeting planned objectives in accordance with current BLM policy, standard operating procedures (SOPs), as well as contractual and cooperative agreement requirements. The CAWP will be reviewed periodically by WHB program leadership and modified as necessary to strengthen public trust, transparency, and effectiveness in assuring the humane care and treatment of the WHBs.

Comprehensive animal welfare is the responsibility of all individuals engaged in the WHB program. The authorized officer is the primary party responsible for immediately addressing any actions that are inconsistent with the CAWP. Consistent with applicable BLM delegation of authority manuals, the authorized officer may delegate responsibility to an alternate individual. The authorized officer should promptly notify the employees, contractors, and partners of actions that are not compliant with the CAWP and correct all issues immediately.

The WHB CAWP Coordinator will lead the implementation, development, assessment of compliance and modifications of all aspects of the CAWP, including those developed to date as well as future components of the CAWP.

Timeframe: This policy is effective immediately.

Budget Impact: This IM outlines and consolidates long-standing policy, practice, and guidance to include annual training and reporting requirements for BLM personnel, contractors, and partners associated with Off-Range Pastures. The cost for the required training is approximately $100 per person per year. Implementation of the CAWP standards for Off-Range Pastures, including conducting assessments and program oversight, compiling data, and reporting will require 12 to 18 work months per year Bureau-wide.

Background: Public Law-195, Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 (as amended) and 43 CFR Part 4700 provide the authority for a CAWP for the WHB program.

The BLM contracts to hold excess unadoptable wild horses and burros on private pastures in targeted states as a humane alternative to destruction. Most of these Off-Range Pastures are not generally accessible to the public, yet the public has a compelling interest in knowing that animals are well cared for.

This CAWP policy provides a comprehensive approach to implementing long-standing policies and practices within the BLM WHB program. Like policies adopted by other organizations in agricultural and animal research industries, this IM establishes a framework to ensure there are standards in place regarding the humane care and handling of animals, as well as a process to verify compliance with those standards. It also provides transparency on BLM’s standard operating procedures for humane care and proper handling. This framework seeks to demonstrate to all that the BLM conducts its WHB program in a humane and caring manner.

The CAWP for WHB consolidates and highlights the BLM policies, procedures, and ongoing commitment to protect animal welfare, provides training for employees, contractors, and partners on animal care and handling, and implements assessment tools to evaluate adherence to the CAWP standards by the agency, contractors, and partners.

Manual/ Handbook Sections Affected: This IM affects policies in BLM Manual/Handbooks H-4700-1 “Wild Horse and Burro Management” and H-4750-2 “Adoption of Wild Horses and Burros.”

Coordination: This IM was coordinated among HQ-200, HQ-260, WHB State Leads, the USDA APHIS Veterinarian, WHB Facility Managers, and WHB Specialists.

Contact: Please direct questions regarding this IM to the Division Chief, Wild Horse and Burro Program (HQ-260), at 866-468-7826 or wildhorse@blm.gov.

Signed by:                                           Authenticated by:

Brian St George                                  Robert M. Williams

Acting, Assistant Director                  Division of Regulatory Affairs and Directives,(HQ-630)

    Resources and Planning

1 Attachment
    1 - Comprehensive Animal Welfare Standards for Off-Range Pastures (14 pp)